Before 12:16 I was like mmmm maybe i'll wait to get one of these. Seems pretty similar to my NXT's. After 13:21 HOLY BALLS I NEED THIS. This is going to replace my left nxt. The fact that I can push the stick forward and it STAYS is great for long ass flights to planets100's of thousand of LS away from their host star in ED.
one thing we need more of. PRODUCT DEVELOPERS WHO MAKE PERIPHERALS FOR FLIGHT/SPACE SIMS. WE HAVE LIMITED choices for both right now, you look at stering wheels and you got a soild amount ranging from cheap to expensive to Premium. we have mainly expensive to premium and no ones making a flight sick/rudder combo systems, hardly any companies are making left hand sticks for modular parts. we need more competing designers.
Great review and thanks for putting it next to the MCG. I have smaller hands and have been essentially sized out of the premium stick market from the beginning as they're mostly jet fighter replicas that were designed with very different use than a desktop computer. Those replicas aren't really any good without using custom mounts and having large hands because they were often made to be used with gloves on, and with the stick located below chest level. This stick addresses this stuff perfectly. Unfortunately I keep missing their restocks so haven't been able to get one yet, but soon!
Definitely a fair review. A bit of input from a guy with smaller hands. I've gotten a number of different sticks over the years to try out because I have more money than sense sometimes and it's been hard to find something I like. I tried the warthog, it felt solid with a good layout, even if a little large for me, but the base is kinda cheapo. I got a gunfighter/MCG and the layout is good, but I hate how enormous it feels even with the palm rest at max height. I got a Warbrd/delta grip, and the gimbal is really quite good, I really like the smooth double cam per axis design, and the stick itself is of excellent build quality, but it is the most awkward size and layout stick I've ever tried. It feels so wrong. The kosmo grip, it is far and away the most comfortable and well laid out grip I have ever touched. It's the only thing I've ever used that doesn't require me to change hand positions in any way to reach all of the buttons. Also you should note (because I didn't realize this for some time), that secondary trigger is actually a two way button. You can tap it with your index finger from underneath real quick from trigger position, I find it very handy. That being said, besides the dry clutches, I think virpil is ahead in general build quality. I still have my warbrd base and that new conney alpha grip looks very interesting...
@@colinsmith2672 Do you mean a virpil grip on a warthog base? I've never actually tried that combo before. I sold the warthog before I got the next thing. I doubt it would work though. The warthog has no twist, and as such, the control board in base itself isn't likely to have a provision for the axis. No twist was one of the main reasons I got rid of it. Unfortunately I think you'll probably have to get a different base entirely to get twist. There aren't currently a lot of options for higher end sticks that have it.
I bought 2 Kosmosima and GF Mk2. I have medium sized hands and I can tell you that it fit perfectly. I have access to all buttons without having to extend my hand unlike the x56. I use the taller palm rest and I can use these sticks for extended period of time without being as tired as I was with the X56. The plastic feel solid to me but the texture does not feel like a premium product. VKB also make a cheaper Gladiator base with which you can use a special version of the SCG. But this base is not avalaible as today.
@@czdaniel1 I preordered them in April and got them in the end of June (in EU). They are now in stock in the EU shop but not in the NA shop. They have a forum on their site, you can ask them for the Gunfighter avaibility in NA.
VKB is my absolout favorite...i was following that MCG Gunfighter PRO from the early Steps and Concepts and waited about 2 Years. But its worth any Day i waited so long. The Base is the best in the whole Industries, right behind is the Virpil CM2, both great things and you did an absolout good honestly review. If you , like me,love the VKB Sticks its no problem with that you stick on VKB then. 'All by all Virpil is a really great Industrie for guys that would be more flexible. But the VKB brings so much individualism with ....thats crazy. VKB MCG Pro anytime Baby :)
"The dry clutch is so unique [...] I understand helicopters also have a stick that operates like that.." I just realized that it has some kind of the Force FeedBack joysticks feature. Since 2 months I watched every video (and there's not many) about which stick to pick from saitek/logi thrustmaster vkb and virpil. The all have plus and minus. Height, durability, materials, options, shape. For some time I was convinced about the constellation alpha, but the stick with a WarBRD on a desk is quite tall plus I don't trust the way the Xbox stick is placed. I think I didn't make the bad choice last week to buy the MCG Ultimate after all. Especially when I mainly fly with a Russian blackshark... Time to give my X52p a well deserved rest. Thank you for all those vids about expensive hardware. I just hope they last for longer as my X52 is 12y old and costed 160€.
One thing i have noticed with this grip is in the twist it raises up, i took no notice to this but it helps you gain muscle memory very quick, i was quite surprised on how much i like how it raised up when you twist it.
I have small hands and use it with no adjuster. You say you have big hands and it hurts but you clearly have an adjuster attached. Try it without the palm adjuster, and also the secondary trigger goes both ways. Clicks when you pull or push.
I installed my SCG premium retrofit kit on my old Gladiator II a couple months ago. My impression so far: Really, really good overall. More buttons and hats = huge benefit in complex modules such as A-10C, F-16, etc. Unexpectedly, I think the stick motion around the center is actually smoother now too, with the new gimbal-stick internals. Very happy with the purchase. Some minor improvement suggestions: I have normal-large hands, and find the grip just a tiny bit restrictive / too small for me. Nowhere near enough to return it, but I just wish there was another 1/4 inch of space between the trigger and permanent hand-rest. I cannot imagine anyone actually needing the nice extra bolt-on hand-rest raising pads, unless they have exceptionally small hands. I do like the fact that this SCG grip is much smaller (and lighter?) than the MCG grip, because I have (and prefer) a side-stick setup, and so don't want a lot of movement like you might for a between-the-legs setup. The inner end of the new gimbal adapter drags a tiny bit against the original gimbal axis due to a slight interference fit (just a hair too long). Not enough to cause any functional problem, but enough to hear and feel unwanted minor scraping in normal use. I tried adding some lube there but it didn't fix it. Annoying at first, but I am used to it now. Also, the twist axis is very stiff at center, but that is a good thing for me because I don't use it and don't want it moving accidentally. I think it can be locked up with a screw, but haven't found the need to do so thus far.
Holy shit why wasn't this video in my suggested before? You should have seen my reaction to the dry clutch, identical to yours XD absolute mindblow! Dual stick is my setup, but that doesn't mean the sticks should behave the same, quite opposite instead. Right stick should have minimum detent and resistance, left stick instead should have a noticeable detent and high resistance on x axis and lower resistance with no detent on the y. But the dry clutch is a game changer only in the y axis! Thank you for this video
@@jessecalder let's hope virpil make something similar to have a little market competition. Love your reviews, any news about the virpil VFX Stick and if yes do you think they will send you one for review?
I have one of these sticks on its way to me as we speak. I chose VKB because I already own a Gladiator, and I was very impressed with it. The quality of the Gladiator is far beyond any controller I've used before. I think I'll be happy with the Kosmosima. I mainly use a joystick for Descent 2 and Overload. I'm hoping it's possible to use both triggers at the same time for primary and secondary weapons.
I speculate that the invention of the twist may not be conceived with space sims in mind, as i'm not even convinced rolling the ship is either useful or easy to do during space fighting. Twisting the "torso" was probably introduced for mechs, as they do an actual twist of their torso, though the best choice is still definitely pedals, to do it. I think mechwarrior sims, for the way they "naturally" use all the resources you have (.because you control a "mechanical man"), for the tactical use of a throttle or dual sticks, for their steep learning curve, but especially because they put more strain to gear (except for some action space games), should be considered when reviewing these grips.
Thanks for the details on this elusive product! That throttle capability for a left stick has got to be the slickest option for SC. Where oh where does one go to purchase a MK2 pro base though? They are never available, almost as if the company doesn’t like money. =D
Hey Snake! Love your reviews! I was one of the early Kosmosima testers and noticed the same flimsy issue with the hats on the test units. I just received a final unit and the hats are much more heavy duty not loose at all. I wonder if you tested one of the test units as well? Keep up the great work!
FYI: You can get this SCG / SCG Premium grip for the Gladiator II (non-Pro) also now, with an adapter kit that requires some effort to install. Just ordered mine today. vkbcontrollers.com/?product=gladiator-upgrade-kit-lite-w-mcg-bundle-2
Very thorough review, thanks so much. What is the difference between a flight sim stick vs a space sim stick and how suitable is the Kosmosima grip for flight sims?
@@jessecalder Thanks for the prompt reply and the explanation. Looking forward to your review of the Virpil Alpha (and its release). One suggestion for future reviews: Since hand length seems to matter quite a bit when choosing a grip, perhaps you could also incorporate feedback from folks with smaller hands than yours into future reviews. Or perhaps this could be even a topic for a separate video: Have folks with varying hand lengths try out different grips and rate them on comfort and size. I've looked for something like that (on RU-vid and elsewhere), but haven't found anything.
@@jessecalder Oh, I want aware of that, since Virpil's website still lists the Alpha as "Coming soon". Will definitely check out your review right now.
Hey, great review. I see some people have mentioned that VKB offer a TM adapter kit. Is it possible to use that with the Virpil Alpha grip at all?? For me that would be the holy grail!
the ability to use the joystick as an adjustable throttle is great! is it also possible to use the gunfighter mk.III as an adjustable throttle? did he just remove the spring from the Y-axis? or what exactly has to be done to make it work?
OH shit i never knew this base had a dry clutch that would work like that. very useful in SC. but i stopped buying VKB after they changed their whole lineup . If they ever come out with adapter for TM grips in the future thats when ill upgrade to a dual setup. but i might still get this as a left hand setup but would rather have a real Throttle
No worries man, yeah vkb responded to it in my reddit post over here: www.reddit.com/r/hotas/comments/ch08s2/the_complete_vkb_space_sim_setup/ They improved the hats! Apparently they are also working on their version of Cosmo cams which is exciting!
I went EVO premium to be able to upgrade to the Gunfighter base sometime in the future, but with the MCG ultra being metal I might go for that one instead. But I don't have those issues with my SCM, are they an improved version that come with the EVO? No sharp thumb edges and plenty of feedback on the buttons.
First of all thanks for Your great review. i have a question to the compatibility of the TM and the Virpil Sticks. Can i use the Virpil Sticks with an Twist axis on the Thrustmaster Base?
I have not tested it myself but my understanding is yes you can but any axis(twist for example)/button mapping that doesn’t match up with something on a TM stick won’t be seen by the base.
Btw as i mentioned somewhere, VKB NA does have the TMW adaptor for the Gunfighter MKII, though currently out. So one will be able to buy just a base in his lifetime. :)
hello their, it would be really really brilliant if i knew and perhaps others too which firmware???? is for the gladiator nxt premium base +scg right hand kosmosima grip ,it doesnt really pinpoint which it is or im not reading it right,can you point me too the right one, thank you for your time....
They have certainly upgraded firmware for all their products since this video was made and the devices in this video are the Gunfighter and SCG Premium anyway. Just head over to their website and you'll find firmware updates! Cheers!
Snake Eater Company thanks for the reply. This is unfortunate. I’ve had enough of the Virpil “Black Friday” style “lottery” when trying to purchase their grips and wanted an alternative. But I do not like that VKB doesn’t play well with other grips. I was really hoping that VKB would make an adapter because I love the dry clutch feature on these bases, then I could be happy patiently waiting for Virpil to get alphas in and purchasable. Oh well. I guess I’m stuck waiting until Virpil gets their act together and actually wants my money. I’ll pick up the alpha and warbirds basses when I am able. No dry clutch but more future flexibility is important. The struggle is real.
@@jeffsfolio TO be fair the only company that VKB isn't compatable is Virpil. They have both an f-18 and a-18 stick adapter so you can use both of those along with VKB's full lineup which includes the f-14 grip, mcg grips, kosmosina grims, and its the only company with a WWII grip which i personally really like. I mean both VKB and Virpil support the thrustmaster grips. But neither one supports the other. VKB doesn't support virpil sticks and virpil doesn't support VKB sticks. Thats the only limiting factor. What i always say is get the one thats in stock as they both have problems with stocking due to the popularity of each company.
Zackery Hardy from what I hear, VKB voids any warranty if you use the adapter. Besides, with Virpils new preordering system, I already got my alpha grips WarBRD Basses. Having that friction brake would be nice but I’m happy that I waited. The Alphas are worthy. Especially for space sims.
The version with the base with buttons looks like a great combo. I prefer VIRPIL but this kit is definitely worth considering as an upgrade from T16000 or X56 sort of great. flightsimcontrols.com/product/vkb-sim-gladiator-k/ Any thoughts? None the less, I agree the weakness is the thumb area, that cannot be comfortable to nearly anyone!
the gladiator k is great, but it has a plastic gimbal. That means you can't put extensions on it or put a bigger grip on it. If you plan to desk mount it though, I would highly recommend it.
@@hudsonr.218 I agree. For me its a way to get something better than a duo of T16000 or a mix with Logi X56. Howerver, I have to say how DISAPOINTED I am at the trigger of the Kosmosima. Its really a cheap loud high pitch clic-clac tik-tok noise. I am about to send them back. Its a spring ping issue, trying to mod it to stop this but this stick is not fit for twitch/youtube unfortunately and so I am now considering the constellation Alpha on warbrd base (but I assume they are going to do a V2 soon following the new CM2 Mongoost base design). Will see but honestly, the more I click this trigger, the more disappointed I am. Other that that, great. But for god sake, only the thumb stick has a proper click (resistance+very little click noise) feel. My conclusion: only buy this stick on a Gladiator K base, if for the MKIII... go Virpil+Warbrd base.
you're hands are smaller than mine, and i have no issuie with that "blade" youre talking about. shouldn't be an issue, as 90% of your time you shouldnt be taking your thumb off of the thumb hat on the side of the stick.
Awesome review Snake, just what I needed! With regards to wanting to use a Warthog grip with the Gunfighter MKII gimbal, could you use this adaptor? vkbcontrollers.com/?product=tm-warthog-adapter
Why does no one mention the shitty plastic they insist on using for their grips. They are beautifully designed but the grip material is far from the real thing and far from the premium quality they should be using on a €400 stick.
@@jessecalder is the Virpil stuff any better, in terms of plastic density or rubberised grip? Better buttons? If it isn't there is room in the market for another player. Why go to a the trouble of producing such an elegant product with inferior materials, really spoils the immersion in VR when you are holding onto a $50 stick from twenty years since.
@Tyngys Arms unfortunately I don't have access to every stick on the market to compare the quality of the materials to - something I expect a reviewer to mention of it's so sub par - and it is, especially considering the price. It feels like a cheap Microsoft controller from two decades ago and with worse hollow rattling buttons.
they do have an adapter for the thrustmaster grips so you can have your nice medal grip on the best base on the market as of the time of posting this comment. It is possible that you may be able to adapt it to work with the other virpil grips, however i don't think anyone has tried.
